LATEST UPDATE: Five free agents the Raptors should to be targeting

The Toronto Raptors fan base had good reason to be anxious after deciding to hang onto a number of its best players despite not being in contention for the previous two seasons. It can be expensive to hold onto great assets for too long, and it would have been disappointing to see the Raptors lose out on such a significant chance.

Instead, now that Toronto has formally let go of Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby, supporters can exhale with ease. The front staff can refocus on assembling a team around young talent Scottie Barnes. The Raptors will need to take care of a few things in order to become a consistent contender in the Eastern Conference once more.

They could use wing players with floor-spacing ability, a starting-caliber frontcourt player, and a defensive-minded point guard. In light of this, Toronto should have its sights set on a few incoming free agents this summer.

Holiday Jrue
What better place to begin discussing defensively adept point guards than with the man who is perhaps the association’s finest defensive point guard? A few weeks prior to the start of the 2023–24 season, Holiday—while playing for the Bucks—was dealt to the Celtics, earning him his second career selection as an All-Star.

His efforts have contributed to Boston’s easy grip of the top record in the association thus far this season. With the Celtics, Jrue will aim to join yet another championship squad. However, Holiday may have to consider his options if his new team fails to win the game this season.

For the upcoming campaign, he will be under Boston’s player option. He would undoubtedly be worth Toronto’s pursuit if he decides to withdraw. The only concern regarding Jrue’s suitability would be his exorbitant price. Holiday will owe $37.3 million for the upcoming season due to a backloaded deal.

Kyle
Kyle Anderson might be the most affordable alternative available at this time if the Raptors wish to position an outstanding offensive connection next to Scottie Barnes. With the correct job, Anderson’s high IQ may help win basketball games and make him an excellent offensive floor-raiser.

It’s possible that Kyle’s summertime appeal is a result of his 2023–24 poor season. In the 2022 summer, Anderson signed a two-year, $18 million contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He went on to have an incredible season in 2022–23, leading the team in three-point field goal percentage.

However, Slo-Mo’s output has dropped so much this year that trade discussions were bringing him up before the deadline. Anderson’s shooting, which is only 20% this season—less than half of his remarkable 41% clip from the previous season—is mostly to blame for his decline in output.

Due to his expiring contract, Kyle will become an unrestricted free agency this summer. Considering Minnesota’s offensive shortcomings, it seems unlikely that the organization will go above and beyond to retain him. Anders Anderson might be a very valuable target for the Raptors if they believe that this season is an anomaly for him and that he can recover.

Toppin, Obi
Toronto has a very strong guard rotation following the transactions. All four of these players—Bruce Brown, Immanuel Quickley, Gary Trent Jr., and RJ Barrett—are starters and should get a lot of action towards the end of the Raptors season. The forward position on the team is currently where it is most lacking.

Toronto would prefer to add one or two more wings this offseason that can play well alongside Scottie Barnes. Obi Toppin is one such choice. Obi, who was traded from the Knicks to the Pacers last summer, started the season as a starter in Indiana and has been having a career year in terms of stats.

Toppin is a powerful wing who moves the floor well and has elite athleticism. Obi is incredibly light on his feet and bounces around the floor like he had little trampolines attached to his feet, even though he has a massive frame. It is evident what sort of an impact he is making right now when you combine that with his career-high 41% shooting from beyond the arc this season.

Toppin will be a restricted free agent this summer. He will have the option to accept or reject a $9.7 million qualifying offer from the Pacers. Obi has the option to accept offers from other teams in the NBA if he opts out, and the Raptors ought to give it serious consideration.

Kelly Oubre
Kelly Oubre is not always associated with it, but when he hits his shot, he has the potential to be one of the league’s most deadly catch-and-shoot players. Despite having a reputation for going on erratic shooting runs, Oubre can be a very useful player for teams who need an offensive spark plug.

Oubre, who spent the 2021–22 and 2022–23 seasons with Charlotte, established himself as one of the league’s best bench scorers in his debut season with the Hornets. After placing sixth in the Sixth Man of the Year competition that season, he primed himself to average a career-high 20.3 points per game as a full-time starter the following season.

Kelly signed a one-year contract with the Philadelphia 76ers last summer after the Hornets decided not to bring him back, and he has been improving their offense ever since. He presently plays for Philadelphia on a highly team-friendly $2.8 million, one-year contract. Oubre will become an unrestricted free agent in July upon the start of free agency.

The price tag is probably the main reason the Raptors should keep a watch on this situation. Compared to a player on the minimum, Oubre’s output is more akin to a guy on a three-year, $36 million contract. If Toronto can secure him this summer at a fair price, they will have to think about making the move.

Beverley Patrick
Patrick Beverley, who spent several seasons as one of the most recognizable players for the Los Angeles Clippers during the end of the 2010s and the beginning of the 2020s, has already played for eight (!) different NBA clubs in less than three years.

After being traded by the Clippers in August 2021, Beverley has been circling the league in search of a permanent home. He has only played for six of the eight teams he has officially been a part of during that time, as the Utah Jazz and Memphis Grizzlies both traded him away soon after they acquired him. For a seasoned player in the league, that turnover rate is still significant.

The majority consider Pat Bev to be the league’s premier energy guy. Despite his diminutive stature, he more than makes up for it with a sincere desire and willpower. His twelve-year NBA career has been driven by his fierce personality.

A seasoned player who isn’t afraid to assume charge and assume the duty of uniting guys in the locker room would be ideal for the Toronto Raptors. Beverley, who will be available as an unrestricted free agent this upcoming summer, has the potential to be a culture changer in the right setting.